The Swiss Challenge presented by Association Suisse de Golf has for years now been one the leading European Challenge Tour events in terms of the hospitality afforded to VIP guests, with a glamourous greenside marquee providing the highest standard in food and drink.
The tournament, now in its eleventh year, has been hosting some of the biggest players in Swiss banking and business, treating them to a day out they will never forget as they watch the most talented young players in world golf battle it out from close quarters at the 18th green.
| Inside the marquee is the finest selection of Swiss food and drink, while an announcer at the side of the final green introduces every player, bringing a real stadium atmosphere to the event.
On Saturday night, meanwhile, the Official Players’ Party provided an opportunity for VIP guests to mingle with the players and a comedian kept proceedings lively as he auctioned off old LPS, smashing any that were not sold with a golf club. It is typical of the mix of fanfare and prestige with which this tournament has come synonymous and Daniel Weber, the tournament promoter, believes it is an integral part of the event. “I think there are many, many good Challenge Tour events from the sports side, and our predecessors with the Swiss Challenge did a great job,” he said. “But for me personally, I was always looking for a society aspect to the whole thing. “When you go to European Tour events, obviously with the big names, it’s a given that the hot |
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shots are coming because they want to be close to the stars. Here when we analysed the whole thing we asked, what can we do to make this more relevant for the club and for members?
“Also when we’ve spoken to potential sponsors, it’s mainly the hospitality side which matters to them. You can obviously sell the Pro-Am but after Wednesday, what can you do for sponsors?
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“That’s another aspect of the lounge and as we are owner-operators of courses in Switzerland, for us it’s a chance to give something back to people who are doing corporate events with us and members who are doing more than the regular playing member.
“They appreciate it very much. We give then a special treatment for a day and that’s one of the things we’re using it for. “Then there is the big players’ party, with 250 guests, and we’re cooperating with national banks and they bring a lot of high network clients to this event for Central Switzerland we’re trying to make it a special night that you want to be part of. “We have built it up over a few years and I think we have the right mix at this event. The VIP aspect is a key part of this event and the feedback we get from guests is that it feels like a major event. This is what we wanted to bring to this event and to the area.” “That’s another aspect of the |
“They appreciate it very much. We give then a special treatment for a day and that’s one of the things we’re using it for.
“Then there is the big players’ party, with 250 guests, and we’re cooperating with national banks and they bring a lot of high network clients to this event for Central Switzerland we’re trying to make it a special night that you want to be part of.
“We have built it up over a few years and I think we have the right mix at this event. The VIP aspect is a key part of this event and the feedback we get from guests is that it feels like a major event. This is what we wanted to bring to this event and to the area.”
